Comments

I'd be afraid that having them wear a bracelet would send the message that I condone underage drinking. I have told them straight up that I don't condone it. Oh, I've told them that if they ever find themselves in a situation where they need a ride or cannot drive due to alcohol use by a friend or themselves that they call. I just haven't told them what the next morning would be like... Up early and right to work, some hard labor.

I would think that it would have the opposite effect. If you condoned it, you wouldn't feel the need to monitor it, would you? If I were a teenager and my parents put one on me, the immediate message would be, "You had BETTER NOT because we'll know...."

Great, they may not drink as much but unless that bracelet detects pot, coke, pills, K2, ect, it won't mount to a hill of beans.
Hey, maybe we could have a bracelet that lets you know how many calories your kids have taken in so that they do not become fat, obese slobs and one to let you know if they are having sex. Hell, let the bracelet raise your children

I don't think this will get you your kids respect and you will never get it through fear. My father was tough but fair and I respected him for that.

While not 100% true (whatever really is?) it is my experience that the kids with the strictest parents, the most micro-managing if you will, became the most screwed up young and full adults. Conversely, most of the kids I grew up with that were let us say "less than ideal kids" experimented, learned some lessons the hard way, got it out of their system and are now fine upstanding adults.

People only learn by making mistakes. Hopefully those mistakes don't involve jail time or drunk driving related accidents/deaths, but you can't protect your kids from everything all of the time. Trying however, seems to work contrary to the outcome the parent desires. Something to keep in mind.

Unless they are caught abusing it in the first place, than no... I realize that my kid isn't supposed to be my "friend" necessarily, but thats a good automatic way to make myself their enemy and set myself up for a lifetime of my kid deliberately disobeying me and making poor choices.

Sometime, alone the line, you have to trust your child not to screw up. If your child is 17, 18, 19, they need to start taking responsibility for themselves. They are old enough to think (more or less) and understanding consequences, so if they drink, and get in trouble, then they need to deal with the fallout.

If they are under 16, and you think they will be exposed to alcohol, then you the parent, need to make sure that the child is not exposed to it. Don't let them go to that party. Don't let them go out with those friends. Don't let them. Make them stay home or get them involved in activities that are beneficial to them. Protect them from themselves.

I want my son to trust me enough to come to me if he needs help and the only way he is going to learn to trust me, is for me to trust him, and when he screws up, to not blow it out of proportion.